Rail splice and bolt for railroads



(No Model.) y

'W. S..WELLER & E. B. MANN. RAIL SPLIGBAND BOLT FOR RAILROADS.

No. 451,350. Patented Apr. 28, 1891. I

' United States, both residing at V UNITED STATES HARRINGTON S. VELLERAND EDWVIN l3.

JERSEY.

PATENT OFFICE.

lllANN, OF DELAVARE, N ElV RAIL SPLICE AND BOLT FOR RAILROADS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 451,350, dated April28, 1891.

Application filed $epternber 11, 1890. Serial No. 364,695. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, \VARRINGTON S. VVEL- LER and EDWIN B. MANN,citizens of the Delaware, in the county of WVarren, State of New Jersey,have jointly invented a new and Improved Device for Splicing TogetherSteel Rails in Use on all Railroads in this and other countries, whichshall be known as the Improved Rail Splice and Bolt, of which thefollowing is a specification.

Our object is to make as near a perfect splice as possible, or one thatcannot break or bend at the joint of rails, at the same time making thejoint of rails as solid and springy as the center of rail.

Figure 1. shows section of rail and splice cut through at joint ofrails. a is the top of rail. 6 is the vertical part of rail. c is thebase of rail. dis the inside part of splice. e is the outside part ofsplice. f f is the space or coving extending around the top of base ofrails down to the ties one-eighth of an inch high. 9 are screw-bolts,Fig. 1. 6, when applied to the largest rails now in use, extends outwardon the ties from the space at c three (3) inches, the exact shape ofwhich is shown in Fig. 3. This space is to be on d and e the same width.This part d is also to have a thread cut in every hole (1 to adjust bothparts of splice tight and solid against the rails. dis also soconstructed as to be below the longest wheel-flange made now. It is atrifle heavier than part c. (1, like 6, when applied to any differentsize made, can be made smaller or in proportion, but must always retainthe aforesaid shape. 6 is somewhat similar to d, with the exception ofhaving a place for each bolt-head countersunk to allow of a levelsurface for the adjustment of bolt-heads, and also varies a trifle inits shape, which can be seen on Fig. 3. 6, like cl, has in itsextension-places notches I) cut in or punched to admit four spikes h, tobe firmly driven when placed on the joint, the first one to be cut orpunched out three inches from each end, the next one five inches fromthe first, making in all for both parts eight notches in number, Boththese parts e and dare to be firmly spiked, each end splice on thecenter of a tie t, firmly and solid in every case.

Fig. 2 is the bolt. Unlike other bolts, this bolt is to have what isknown as a hermaphrodite thread, that being the strongest thread known.It is to be not less than threefourths of an inch in diameter anditsthread not less than eight to the inch. It is made square on thread end,as shown at g, to admit of that part screwing the broken piece out incase it should by some means be broken. The other end is to have a heavyhexagonal head, which will give it less space to be turned, thus addingextra strength to splice, and this boltcan be made as best suited tomanufacturers, but always out of good tough steel, as is the splice alsoto be made.

Fig. 3 shows the splice complete in position on the joint of rail whenit is properly adj usted.

NVe are aware that prior to our invention there has been a variety ofdevices to fasten the joints of rails. We have seen nearly every kind inuse and can safely say that there is not one in use that gives thedesired results. Some of its advantages can be seen below. First, whenproperly made and adj usted they cannot break at the joint, neither canthey bend, thereby leaving a level and solid joint; second, our spliceand bolt does away with all spring-washers and nuts, the splice andbolts to be made out of good tough steel; third, the splices are to berolled and cut in any length, but not less than twentyfour inches;fourth, our splice does not rest upon the base of rails, thus givingspring enough to allow the joints of rails to raise to their properposition after a train passes over them, which would be impossible ifthey fit tight between top and base of rail.

We believe that our splice will supply the needed strength, making asolid level joint, as herein described and set forth, which will not beliable to become so jammed or set in its splices to the sag of thepassing enginewheel as to be unable to recover its true alignment byelastic recoil.

That we do claim as our invention, and f for play above the rail-base,as and for the desire to secure by Letters Patent, is purpose set forth.

The combination, with a pair of abutting ashington, New Jersey, Augustat, 1890. railway-rails, of the pairof splices or fish-plates VARRINGTONS. \VETJJER. 5 (l e, which support the rail-head and rail- EDWIN B.MANN.

web, which rest upon and are spiked to the Witnesses: cross-ties, arebolted to each other through A. J. STARK,

the rail-web, and have sole spaces or eovings .T. D. TAYLOR.

